When it comes to brewing coffee there are typically four methods that are regularly used in order to do so. Each method will provide a very different flavor for your coffee drinking pleasure but all, no matter how great the method remain at the mercy of the quality and freshness of the bean.

The four common brewing methods are:

1. Boiling
2. Gravity
3. Pressure
4. Steeping

Boiling is considered by some to be a rather old fashioned method of brewing but for some reason it remains a very common method even in today's high tech world. Percolators are the most common means of achieving this method and the average coffee connoisseur will tell you that this is the most vile and reprehensible method for making coffee possible as it includes boiling it. On the flip side this was the only method for many years and worked quite nicely during that time for many people around the world. It will still do in a pinch when electricity and modern conveniences are scarce and is well worth knowing how to brew if you need coffee in order to get through you day and may have a day or two in life without the luxury of electricity-we have all had them on occasion.

Gravity is the method is used by most Americans for their morning cups of coffee. In this method, water is allowed to run over the grounds until it reaches a saturation point at which it drips down through the coffee grounds and the filter into the waiting pot below. Most diners, cafes, truck stops, and convenience store coffee makers use this method when brewing coffee in addition to this being the preferred method in most American homes. You will find that most reasonably well-schooled coffee lovers are rather comfort with this method of brewing coffee as it is typically the one they are most exposed to in society.

Pressure is another great method when it comes to brewing coffee. Pressure, as the name implies is one of the key ingredients used for making French press coffee. This method uses a specific device lovingly referred to as a French press in order to extract the grounds from the water with which they have been mixed. The flavor in this brewing method is very similar to drip style coffee but can be greatly enhanced by extending the brewing time just a little bit for a more full flavor or lessening it for a weaker flavor. Most people find that working with a French press is at times challenging and you must be willing to truly work with it a while before you can consistently brew the perfect cup of coffee for your taste buds.

Steeping was once considered making 'cowboy coffee'. In this particular method of brewing coffee you add water that is near boiling to coffee grounds in a cup and allow them to 'steep' as the coffee cools to a drinkable temperature. By the time the coffee cools sufficiently you will find that the grounds have found their way to the bottom of the cup and you can either strain them out or drink the cup while remaining careful to avoid the grounds. Turkish coffee is also made in a very similar method though there are a couple of extra steps involved.

If you've only known one method for brewing coffee it's time you expand your horizons and taste some of the wonderful flavors that brewing methods can add to your favorite cup.